Any issues with Humax?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

I am considering ordering the $99 Humax 80-hour Series 2.

What has been your experience with the Humax box?

How large is the HD? 80 gig?

- David

 

[Sean]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:24:55 -0500, "David D."
<daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote:

>I am considering ordering the $99 Humax 80-hour Series 2.
>
>What has been your experience with the Humax box?
>
>How large is the HD? 80 gig?
>
> - David
>
>

It doesn't record HD.

It doesn't have full Dolby 5.1

It doesn't have multiple tuners.

etc.

etc.

etc.

Get your cable co's DVR.

Sean

 

[Phil]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote:
> I am considering ordering the $99 Humax 80-hour Series 2.
>
> What has been your experience with the Humax box?
>
> How large is the HD? 80 gig?
>
> - David

Why Humax when for the same $$$ you can get a known
high quality brand name box?

--
-------------------- http/NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

PHIL wrote:
> "David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote:
>>I am considering ordering the $99 Humax 80-hour Series 2.
>
> Why Humax when for the same $$$ you can get a known
> high quality brand name box?

Well, TiVo is recommending the 80 GB Humax box for 99 dollars.
$299 - $100 - $100 = $99.
I saw this on the TiVo data broadcast last night, so it should
be showing up on a gold-star promo any day now.

-Joe

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Well, what are my other options for $99 plus shipping?

I could get the TCD540040 Series2 40-Hour from Amazon.com for $71 and free
shipping ($171 - $100). But then I definitely will need to upgrade the hard
drive before using it. (I have a spare 160 GB, but I am having a hard time
even getting around to downloading the upgrade tools). My current Series 1
30-hour is always running out of space.

Or, since I plan to eventually upgrade anyway, I could get a used Series 2
from TiVo for $50 plus shipping. But with the shipping costs figured in, I
might as well get the new one from Amazon with free shipping.

Phil implied that the Humax is not a very high quality brand. What are its
issues? Which are the desirable brands?

- David


"Joe Smith" <joe@inwap.com> wrote in message
news:yMSdncSKvfuXhd7fRVn-hA@comcast.com...
> PHIL wrote:
> > "David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote:
> >>I am considering ordering the $99 Humax 80-hour Series 2.
> >
> > Why Humax when for the same $$$ you can get a known
> > high quality brand name box?
>
> Well, TiVo is recommending the 80 GB Humax box for 99 dollars.
> $299 - $100 - $100 = $99.
> I saw this on the TiVo data broadcast last night, so it should
> be showing up on a gold-star promo any day now.
>
> -Joe

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in
news:tpSdnZxgZsAhE97fRVn-pQ@comcast.com:

> Well, what are my other options for $99 plus shipping?

http/www.tivo.com/2.0.1.asp

If you don't mind factory reconditioned, given that price range your
options are a 40 hour and an 80 hour. Ordering directly from TiVo gets
free shipping though

> I could get the TCD540040 Series2 40-Hour from Amazon.com for $71 and
> free shipping ($171 - $100). But then I definitely will need to upgrade
> the hard drive before using it. (I have a spare 160 GB, but I am having
> a hard time even getting around to downloading the upgrade tools). My
> current Series 1 30-hour is always running out of space.
>
> Or, since I plan to eventually upgrade anyway, I could get a used Series
> 2 from TiVo for $50 plus shipping. But with the shipping costs figured
> in, I might as well get the new one from Amazon with free shipping.

Right now, my plan is to get a couple cheap 250 gig drives (yay eBay!),
then get a recon 40 hour TiVo and an InstantCake CD from 9thtee.com

http/www.9thtee.com/tivo-instantcake.htm

First thing I'll do is yank the drive out of there and upgrade it. 500
hour TiVo, here I come!

I would upgrade my 60 hour S1, but the upgrade path there is limited, in
more ways than one.

> Phil implied that the Humax is not a very high quality brand. What are
> its issues? Which are the desirable brands?

No more or less issues than anyone else, that I am aware of.

--
Minister of All Things Digital & Electronic, and Holder of Past Knowledge
stile99@email.com. Cabal# 24601-fnord | Sleep is irrelevant.
I speak for no one but myself, and |Caffeine will be assimilated.
no one else speaks for me. O- | Decaf is futile.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"Howard" <stile99@email.com.> wrote in message
news:Xns9623E66A1872Cstile@129.250.170.90...
>
<snip>
>
> Right now, my plan is to get a couple cheap 250 gig drives (yay eBay!),
> then get a recon 40 hour TiVo and an InstantCake CD from 9thtee.com
>
> http/www.9thtee.com/tivo-instantcake.htm
>
> First thing I'll do is yank the drive out of there and upgrade it. 500
> hour TiVo, here I come!


Thanks for the InstantCake info!. That solves my time issue about doing an
immediate upgrade.

I noticed that InstantCake is only availble for selected brands and models.
Are the recons from TiVo strictly the TiVo brand models? (One cannot specify
when ordering).

Which brand of mounting bracket do you plan to use? Or will you improvise
your own?


> I would upgrade my 60 hour S1, but the upgrade path there is limited, in
> more ways than one.


I, also, have an S1. But I want TTG.

- David

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in
news:V4-dncFW0_MIkNnfRVn-vg@comcast.com:

> Thanks for the InstantCake info!. That solves my time issue about doing
> an immediate upgrade.

That's what it is for me...time. Just throw in the drives and boot,
basically.

> I noticed that InstantCake is only availble for selected brands and
> models. Are the recons from TiVo strictly the TiVo brand models? (One
> cannot specify when ordering).

I have an email in to the TiVo store asking what model the 40 hour is, but
no answer yet. Basically, my worry is to make sure it's the 54 series, not
the 24, as the 54 will support the larger drives. They may not even know
themselves, though, being factory renewed, it may just be whatever they
happen to have this week (in which case I may purchase from Best Buy or
something to make sure I have the right kind).

> Which brand of mounting bracket do you plan to use? Or will you
> improvise your own?

I have a few around here that I think will work, but if not,
www.weaknees.com has them.

--
Minister of All Things Digital & Electronic, and Holder of Past Knowledge
stile99@email.com. Cabal# 24601-fnord | Sleep is irrelevant.
I speak for no one but myself, and |Caffeine will be assimilated.
no one else speaks for me. O- | Decaf is futile.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"Howard" <stile99@email.com.> wrote in message
news:Xns96248AD5CD326stile@129.250.170.81...
> "David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in
> news:V4-dncFW0_MIkNnfRVn-vg@comcast.com:
>
<snip>
>
> I have an email in to the TiVo store asking what model the 40 hour is, but
> no answer yet. Basically, my worry is to make sure it's the 54 series,
not
> the 24, as the 54 will support the larger drives. They may not even know
> themselves, though, being factory renewed, it may just be whatever they
> happen to have this week (in which case I may purchase from Best Buy or
> something to make sure I have the right kind).

If you are considering Best Buy, then also consider Amazon.com. $71 (after
MIR) with free shipping.

- David

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"Howard" <stile99@email.com.> wrote in message
news:Xns96248AD5CD326stile@129.250.170.81...
>
> I have an email in to the TiVo store asking what model the 40 hour is, but
> no answer yet. Basically, my worry is to make sure it's the 54 series, not
> the 24, as the 54 will support the larger drives.

I believe as of the v7.1 software, the 240 series (and 140 series?) support
137+GB drives. Tivocommunity would know more, but the reason the 540 series
supported them was, AFAIK, they shipped with software newer than the 4.0
software that was running on the 240's and 140's at the time. Now that all
the standalones are in sync on software, support should be universal.

Ken

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:tpSdnZxgZsAhE97fRVn-pQ@comcast.com...
>
> I could get the TCD540040 Series2 40-Hour from Amazon.com for $71 and free
> shipping ($171 - $100). But then I definitely will need to upgrade the hard
> drive before using it. (I have a spare 160 GB, but I am having a hard time
> even getting around to downloading the upgrade tools). My current Series 1
> 30-hour is always running out of space.

Just got one for a friend who is highly unlikely to upgrade their system (they
don't even have a computer). For someone who is going to use the Tivo out the
box, you can't beat the price to size for a brand new Tivo.

First impressions are good - works exactly as well as my Tivo branded
standalone series 2. Even a little snappier, but I don't know if that's
because I've got a billion season passes and 120 GB worth of programming or if
they actually use better hardware. Unit looks sharp, comes with all the same
hardware as my Tivo branded unit. The background movies are different, which
is kind of disorienting, because the "Tivo Central" background is red, and the
"Now Playing" background is green, exactly opposite my Tivo and Pioneer units.

Can't give any long-term feedback yet, but as I said, initial impressions are
good.

Ken

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Ken,

Thanks for the feedback on the Humax.

I actually decided to go the route that Howard suggested -- a 40-hour
TiVo recon, InstantCake, and a couple of large drives that are lying around
the house. Based on other posts, I would probably be best off with the
bracket that includes a fan.

- David


"Ken Alverson" <USENET.Ken@Alverson.net> wrote in message
news:d2c2jm$3dg$1@eeyore.INS.cwru.edu...
> "David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:tpSdnZxgZsAhE97fRVn-pQ@comcast.com...
> >
> > I could get the TCD540040 Series2 40-Hour from Amazon.com for $71 and
free
> > shipping ($171 - $100). But then I definitely will need to upgrade the
hard
> > drive before using it. (I have a spare 160 GB, but I am having a hard
time
> > even getting around to downloading the upgrade tools). My current
Series 1
> > 30-hour is always running out of space.
>
> Just got one for a friend who is highly unlikely to upgrade their system
(they
> don't even have a computer). For someone who is going to use the Tivo out
the
> box, you can't beat the price to size for a brand new Tivo.
>
> First impressions are good - works exactly as well as my Tivo branded
> standalone series 2. Even a little snappier, but I don't know if that's
> because I've got a billion season passes and 120 GB worth of programming
or if
> they actually use better hardware. Unit looks sharp, comes with all the
same
> hardware as my Tivo branded unit. The background movies are different,
which
> is kind of disorienting, because the "Tivo Central" background is red, and
the
> "Now Playing" background is green, exactly opposite my Tivo and Pioneer
units.
>
> Can't give any long-term feedback yet, but as I said, initial impressions
are
> good.
>
> Ken
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:5qSdnXrNFfx4kdHfRVn-2w@comcast.com...
> Ken,
>
> Thanks for the feedback on the Humax.
>
> I actually decided to go the route that Howard suggested -- a 40-hour
> TiVo recon, InstantCake, and a couple of large drives that are lying around
> the house. Based on other posts, I would probably be best off with the
> bracket that includes a fan.

I'd recommend one big drive rather than two smaller ones, especially now that
the new software is said to support >137GB drives. That should cut down on
the power requirements (most tivo power supplies aren't designed to run two
drives) and heat, and is probably cheaper than two drives.

If you have no problem upgrading on your own, the refurbs are the best deal
around, for sure.

Ken

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Ken,

With a single 250 GB 7200 RPM Maxtor, can I get away with the original
bracket and no additional fan?

- David

"Ken Alverson" <USENET.Ken@Alverson.net> wrote in message
news:d2hkp8$kfo$1@eeyore.INS.cwru.edu...
> I'd recommend one big drive rather than two smaller ones, especially now
that
> the new software is said to support >137GB drives. That should cut down
on
> the power requirements (most tivo power supplies aren't designed to run
two
> drives) and heat, and is probably cheaper than two drives.
>
> If you have no problem upgrading on your own, the refurbs are the best
deal
> around, for sure.
>
> Ken
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
newsMGdncsFCsPVNdHfRVn-jA@comcast.com...
> Ken,
>
> With a single 250 GB 7200 RPM Maxtor, can I get away with the original
> bracket and no additional fan?

I would think so. I don't have any drives that large in my Tivos (yet), but I
do have several 120 GB 7200 rpm seagates in my machines and have no heat
problems, and it fits in the bracket where the original drive used to be no
problem.

Ken